Bewitched
by Yugure-chawn
Summary: On the Graduation Ball, Severus Snape finds himself bewitched by a beautiful girl. AU SS/HG


Professor Severus Snape usually didn't enjoy social events, but he had come to this one because Albus had forced him to go with his usual arguments.

He had come to Severus' chambers two week ago, telling him he couldn't stay in his private chambers, "Severus, my boy, you isolate yourself too much you ought to have some fun in your life."

Severus had looked at his annoying twinkling eyes and knew at that moment there was more behind it, "Albus, do you really think one of the students want to see me, _me?_"

Albus had shooked his head, not planning on giving up, "Severus, it is a masked ball, no one will recognise each other."

Severus knew there was no way to change Albus' mind, "Okay, okay Albus, I'm coming, but under one condition, I can dress up the way I want myself, I don't want anyone see my scars."

While saying that, he brought his hand to his neck where Nagini had bitten him, he had survived the attack thanks to Fawkes, after the Golden Trio had left him in the Shrieking Shack, thinking he was dead, Fawkes had found him and let his tears drip in the gap in Severus' neck. The wounds had closed and the venom was removed from his system, but he was left with two big scars on his neck. Albus had nodded and left his rooms, leaving Severus alone to think about the Ball.

That was two weeks ago, and there he was, sipping some elf-made wine while looking at the happy people dancing on the floor. Even thought it was a masked ball, the students recognised each other easily, they had been together for seven years. Severus was about to go when the doors opened and someone new arrived, from his place in one of the corners he couldn't see who it was, only that it was a gir, wearing a long silk forest-green dress.

She must've been beautiful since a lot of people looked at her, not saying a thing. From his place in the shadow, Severus could look at her while she made her way over to table with drinks. Her dress was covered with little diamonds, glimmering in the light as she moved. The dress hugged her figure and showed off her lovely curves, she was wearing a mask that only showed the lower half of her face and her skin was smooth

and tanned. Her brown hair was braided in a difficult pattern on her head, but felt loose in waves on her back. While she sipped her drink, boys made their way over to her, asking for a dance. Severus felt a bit jealous, the girl was beautiful and he wanted to ask her too for a dance, but she was his student, well ex-student now, but still there was no way she would dance with him.

He was happy to see she rejected the boys, not even bothering to give them a second look, while she was looking around the Hall, like she was looking for someone. When she didn't see the person she sat down one of the tables, not noticing Severus, who was still looking at her.

Severus was debating with himself, should he make his way over to her, and ask her too for a dance, or should he just stay in his place. There was no way she would recognise him, he was wearing black trousers, dress robes and mask that hide everything above his mouth. He had washed his hear and had a potion rubbed into it so it didn't looked greasy any more, because that was one of the things his students would recognise.

So Severus left his place in the shadows and slowly made his way over to the girl's table. As he reached the table she looked up, "May I join you?", he asked, she nodded and he took place in a chair next to her's.

"Why is a lovely young lady like yourself here on her own?", Severus asked.

She sighed, "Well, there is someone I hoped to see tonight, before I leave Hogwarts. I wanted to tell him I love him, that I've loved him for years now, but it seems like he didn't show up after all."

She emptied her glass, and watched it as it refilled itself again, "I think I'll drink myself in oblivion, maybe I can forget him and just continue with my life."

She took another sip from her glass, "What about you, why is a nice man like you on his own here, I haven't seen you here before, have I?"

Severus was a bit shocked by her question, he shouldn't tell her the truth, because then she would ran away, "Well, I was invited by the Headmaster, well actually forced to go, I was about to leave when you entered the Hall, taken away by your beauty like some many other boys here."

She giggled, "You know, it was really funny to see their drooling faces, and then when they almost fought with each other to ask me for a dance."

Severus loved her laugh, it was warm and honest. He felt something stir in his stomach, he didn't know what it was, but is was definitely a pleasant feeling.

"Then you'd probably say no to me, if I asked you for a dance", Severus said.

She shook her head, "I would say yes, I can't keep on sulking here, now can I."

Severus hadn't expect that answer, he'd thought it would be more difficult to ask her for a dance, so he stood up and offered her his hand, "Then, would like this dance with me?"

She smiled and grabbed his hand, "I would love to."

Severus guided her to an empty place on the dancing floor and placed one hand on the small of her back, while she placed her hand on his shoulder. He was now thankful his mother had taught him to dance when he was younger, they smoothly moved around each other and the other couples, never losing their rhythm while they flowed from one dance into another.

The world around the disappeared and Severus felt himself drowning in her caramel coloured eyes. As the song continued the space between their bodies disappeared, Severus hand left her back and moved to her face, caressing her jaw-line with his thumb. Taken in the moment, he lowered his head and placed a feather light kiss on her lips, he moved his head back, but felt a hand preventing him, "Don't", she whispered, before placing her lips on his.

He closed his eyes and moved his lips against hers, enjoying their soft feeling. When he felt her tongue asking for his permission he moved away from her, she looked at him confused, wondering what she had done wrong, when he placed a kiss on her earlobe, "Not here, meet me outside in the Gardens in ten minutes."

She nodded, he placed a kiss on her hand and left the Hall. How could he have been so stupid to let it get this far. She is, was, his student. Severus sat down on one of the stone benches in the garden and placed his head in his hands. She had taken the initiative, it wasn't like he had taken advantage of her, no he _had_ taken advantage of her, she had been looking for someone, and when the guy hadn't shown up, he had made his move.

He should tell her who he really was, let her run away from him in fear and drink himself in oblivion, yes, that was the best thing to do. He didn't have to wait long, before he heard someone approaching him. He waited until she sat down next to him, "I have to tell you something", he started, "I think you need to know who I am."

She looked curiously at him, "Why?"

"Because you maybe want to reconsider kissing me."

She took his hand and squeezed it softly, "Don't tell me, at least not now, but it won't make a difference, you are a great man, you are honest and noble."

He snorted, "Me, noble?"

She nodded, "Yes, you are, you listened to me while I was sulking about this guy, you offered me a dance and made me enjoy my evening."

He wanted to tell her there was no way he could be noble, but was silenced by her lips. Her hand tangled in his hair and drew his head closer. Severus decided to throw all his rejections in the wind, if she didn't want to listen to him, it was not his fault, one of his hands found their way to her hair and the other one he placed on her back.

This time he opened his mouth when she licked his lips and their tongues danced around each other, she tasted of the elf-wine she had been drinking earlier, but he could also taste something different, strawberry and vanilla. He really like her taste and deepened the kiss, earning a small moan from the girl, her whole body vibrating at it.

She shifted her wait and sat down on his lap, his hand tight around her waist. When he was out of oxygen he left her lips, but rested his forehead against hers. "Wow", she mumbled, "I didn't know that kissing someone could be that good."

Severus let out a small chuckle, "Are you serious, I bet there are a lot of boys out there who kiss better then me."

She smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips, "I don't think so, they only plunge their tongue in your mouth and move them around like a washing machine. And as soon as they are satisfied they leave, thinking everyone wants to kiss them. No, the other boys at Hogwarts are immature."

With her index finger she slowly traced his jaw-line, ending with her finger on his lips, "But how comes it I've never seen you before?"

Severus jerked up an eyebrow, although she couldn't see it, "You've seen me before, but probably never realised I was here too."

She looked at him questioningly, "Are you going to tell me who you are then?"

Severus shook his head, "No – well maybe, after you tell me who you were looking for on the Ball."

He saw her eyes narrowing behind her mask, "Do I really have to?"

"Only if you really want to."

She sighed, "I guess it doesn't really matter anymore, I probably won't see him ever again, so even if he knows he would probably never love me back."

"Who won't love a beautiful girl like you?", Severus asked, not understanding how any boy in his right mind could not love her.

"I usually don't look like this, that's why no one recognised me, other wise the wouldn't ask me out, _me, _the busy-haired know-it-all Gryffindor but I will tell you, but you have to promise me not to laugh."

Severus felt himself stiffen, it was bloody Hermione Granger. How could he not have recognised her, she had been his student for eight years, she had been with him a lot while he recovered from the Final Battle, their beds in the Hospital Wing had been next to each other.

First he had ignored her, angry at her she had left him for dead in the Shrieking Shack, but she had ignored his nasty remarks and snarls and had talked to him for hours, so over the time he started to appreciate her, her opinions on the news they wrote in the Daily Prophet, all nonsense of course, her love for the Monthly Potions Magazine, where they had endless discussions about.

She had told him a lot about her life before and at Hogwarts, she had cried in front of him when she told what she had done to her parents to protect them from the Dark Lord and how unsure she was if she would be able to reverse the Memory Charm. Severus knew her so well after all those weeks in the Hospital and wanted to kick himself for not recognising Hermione Granger.

"Do you promise?", he suddenly heard her saying. He nodded, "I promise I won't laugh, whoever it is."

He saw Hermione swallowing, trying to get her courage out to say it, "It's – it's Professor Snape."

Severus felt his mouth falling open, she was in love with _him_, how was that possible, he's never been nice to her, besides from their time at the Hospital Wing. After they had recovered he had ignored her, thinking she would never seek him out anyway, but she had searched for him, knocking on the door of his quarters in the evening. He had ignored her, and had been hoping for a quick start of the new year, so he would've been rid of her.

But he hadn't, she had shown up to finish her Seventh Year at Hogwarts, determined to finish her education, although she could've been offered a job anywhere in the Wizarding World. She had been in his Potions classes the whole year, graduating in the end with the highest marks. He chuckled, "And what is it about Professor Snape you love?"

"He's really nice, if you get to know him a bit, he loves reading and is so intelligent, oh, and his voice, I just love his voice!"

Severus blinked, his voice, "And, do you think that Professor Snape loves you too?"

She avoided his gaze and looked instead at the buttons on his robes, "Honestly, I don't know, he was kind to me when we were in the Hospital Wing, but after that, he hasn't talked to me at all, that's why I wanted to tell him, to know what he thinks."

That was too much for Severus, she really loved him, he had grown to care for he girl seeing the eager and clever First Year growing into a beautiful woman who had been trough a lot in her life, too much she should have been. After his time in the Hospital Wing he had felt different about her, but not knowing what it really was, but he understood now, it had been love. But he could never offer anything she deserved, he had a vault at Gringotts, but there was not a lot gold in it, he had been her teacher for eight years and was twenty years older then her. But she knew that so he decided to give it a chance, it was maybe his last opportunity for a little bit of happiness in his miserable life. "Hermione", he whispered, while cupping her chin to look in her eyes, "I am quite sure he loves you to."

She looked at him, "Do you think so?"

He nodded, "Yes I think so, no I'm sure he does."

He saw a tear forming in her eyes, "But, how would you know that?"

Severus looked in her eyes while grabbing one of her hands and bringing it to his mask, "Take it off", he whispered. She grabbed the end of his mask and slowly brought it up, revealing his face, but before she had the chance to understand who he was, he claimed her lips, "I know he loves you, because I know I do", he whispered against her lips.

He heard her draw a breath in shock, "Professor?"

He nodded, "Hermione, I haven't realised it before, but I really do love you, that's why I didn't speak to you last year, I was too afraid to let some close to me."

Hermione didn't know what to say, he saw her looking at his face, in his eyes, searching for an answer, or maybe waiting for a snarky remark. "I can't promise you anything Hermione, I am not the nicest man around, but I really do love you and I want to be with you the rest of my life, my house will be yours."

He saw her eyes filling with hope and placed gentle kiss on her lips, "You don't have to say now what you want, you can think about it -"

She cut him of with a kiss, "I don't have to think about it Severus, I would be so happy to life with you, I will be yours, always."

"Then, I will be yours", he said, kissing her passionate, "Always"

_The End_

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><p>AN I came up with this story in the train, heading to my parents for Eastern, hope you enjoyed it!


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